Process of coating metal articles.



U. S. ARMSLRON'G PROCESS 0F CCATINC METAL ARTICLES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23, 1911.

1,012,048. Patented Dee. 19, :1911;

` 2 SHEETS-SHEET l. E l E .l i

In ven for s Mmm-wwf SU. s. ARMSTRONG.-

PROCESS OF GOATING METAL ARTICLES.

. APILIGATION FILED FEB. Z, 1911. 1,012,048. o Patent-,ed Deo. 19, 1911.

2 SHEBTS-SHEBT 2.

UNITED `sTAifSiis PATENT onirica. y

ULYSSES S. ABVHSATRONG, OF NEW KENSINGTQN, PENNSYLVANIA.

FRCESS 0F CfOA'lINCi METALl ARTICLES.

To all 'whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, Umrssiis S. ARM- STRONG, a resident of NewKensinton, in the county of Westmoreland and. tate of Pennsylvania, fulImprovement in Processes of Coating Met-al Articles; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof.

My invention relates to the coating of metal articles, and has specialreference to the coating of the interior and exterior surfaces of pipesor tubes.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple and efficientprocess for thev coating of metal articles, such as ipes or tubes, whichwill enable such artic es to be coated on their inner and outer surfacesina rapid and easy manner with a metallic coating, such as lead and tin,or zinc, as well as enabling such a coating to be formed on sucharticles evenly and uniformly and without any waste of the materialcomposing such coating.

To these ends my invention consists,'gen erally stated, in the novelprocess employed in myimproved coating of metal articles, as hereinaftermore specifically set forth and described and particularly pointed outin the claims.

To enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains topractice the process emplo ed in my improved coat.-

ing of metal articles, vI will describe thesame more fully, referring`to the accomf panying drawing, in'which Figure 1 is a top plan view ofan apparatus employed in my im roved process of coat-ing metal articles.ig. 2 is an end view of the same. of the same on the line 3-3 Fig. 1.Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the same on the line 4 4, Fig. 1,lookin in the direction of the arrow. Figs. 5 an 6 are'views of theswabbin devices em loyed. Fig. 7 shows another orm of the evice. Fig. 8is a diagrammat-ic plan view of the complete process employed.

Like symbols of reference herein indicate like parts in each of thefigures of the drawing.

As illustrated in the drawing, 1 represente the tank, which' is providedwith the usual heating furnace 1" underthe same for heating-thematerials within such tank for the coating of the articles to thedesired dehave invented a'new and use` Fig. 3 is a crosssect-ionSpecification o! Letters Patent. -lPateni-,ed Dec. 19, 1911.- Appiicaaonmed rebruaryzs, 1911. semi m. 610,361

gree, and such tank is provided withthe lower or base portion2`andv theupper portion 3 extending up from and at one side of said lower portion.Within the lower portion 2 of the tank 1 and extending longitudinallyofthe same and centrally thereof is a wall 4, which extends down fromthe top of the upper portion Sand into said portion 2 for a suitabledistance' and divides such portion 2 into the compartments -5 and 6,aswell as forming the inner side wall of the upper portion 3 locatedabove the compartment 5: The wall 4 is provided with the pro]ectingportions-7 and S at each end of t-he same, whichy extend from each sideof said wall, andare adapted to form pockets` 9 and 10 in said wall andon each side of the. same for the purpose hereinafter described. Withinthe 'tank 1 are the two shafts 11 and 12, one of which is laced on eachside of such tank and prefere ly on an incline in parallel lines witheach other.

These shafts 11 and 12 are power driven in any suit-able manner and areadapted to be rotated or revolved in the same and in the roperdirection, as shown by the arrows in 1g. 3. The shaft 11 is providedwith a wheel 13 having radial arms 14 thereon at each end of the same,and the shaft 121s provided with a similar wheel 15 having similar arms16 thereon at each end of the same. These wheels 13 and 15 are also a1'-ranged so that the ends of their respective arms 14 and 1,6 will travelwithin their respective pockets 9 and 10 in the wall 4 of the tank 1inthe movement of-said wheels throughl said tank by the shafts 11 and12,

and are also arranged so that such arms on` the end wheels 13 and 15will overlap and at the same time be'away from each other by their beingwall 4. When such arms 14 and 16 on the wheels 13 and 15 are in movementthrough the tank 1, the lower ends of the same will in the pockets 9 and1Q -ofthe pass along and be adjacent tothe curved.

guides or bottomsl'? and 18 in the con'ijpart-1 ments 5 and 6respectively of said tank, and such bottoms are connected together attheir inner ends by the vcentral raised portion 19 between Vthe saaie. y

The use and 'operation of my. improved,

process of coating metal articles is as follows: The pipes or tubes. a`are cleanediin the usual manner by the pickling process in the tank Auntil the scale ,silicates and oxide are loosened or removed from thesurfaces oft i water to prevent oxidation.

4of sulfuric or hydroiiuoric acid, after which the pipes are thenremoved from the repickle and placed in a tank D of running The pipesare then taken from the tank of running water and while wet are eachpassed through a scrubbing machine- E, vwhich brushes the outsidesurface'of Athe pipe, and such pipes' are kept wet with cold Water Whilepasslng throu h such machine. They are then passe down the inclinedtable F having rolls F upon the same and pi es F2 to spray the same withcold Water, an are de osited in a 'storage tank G while wet, an suchtank contains water and is located beside the coating machine 1, so thatthe pipe passes thus from the repickling tank through the ruunin watertank and through the scrubbing mac ine to the storage tank Vwhile in awet condition. lThe pipe is then taken from the storage tank andimmediately dropped into thevflux of the tank, as hereinafter described,ywhile still in a wet condition, or the pipe m-ay be fed, automaticallydirect from the scrubbing machine to` the coating machine by passingthrough water to prevent it from becoming dry and thus oxidlze.

The compartments 5 and 6 ofthe portion I' 2 in the tank 1 are filledwith thecoating compound such as lead and tin, or zinc, which forms thecoating bath b, and reaches the level of thewall 4, or slightly abovethe same, while the flux bath c of the usual material or compound forpreparing the pipes or tubes a for theycoating compound in the bath b isplaced inthe upper portion y3 of lthe tank and rests upon that part ofthe material of the coating bath b that is within the compartment 5, ofsaid tank. The tank 1 being thus ready for the coating operation, thepipes a: as so cleaned and wet from their immersion in cold water areeach placed between two of the alined arms 14 on the wheels 13, as saidWheels are revolved by the shaft 11, and such pi es are thus passed downthrou h the flux' ath in the portion 3 ofthe sai tank, and then theyarepassed ,by said wheels into the coating bath in the compartment 5 of thelower portion 2 of said tank. When each of the pi es a carried byv thearms 14 on the Whee s 13 reach the raised portion 19 on the guides orbottoms 17 and 18 of the tank 1 they passy over said raised portion andare each caught by and between two of the alined arms 16 on the wheels15, which Wheels are being revolved in the same direction as the wheels13,

so that such arms Will act to carry said the `flux bath C and coatingbath b and are ejected from the tank 1, any surplus material from saidbath b isdrained from said pipes back into said bath and between thepoint Where the pipe leaves the coating bath and the point Where itassumes a horizontal position just before taking its place on the `table20, by reason of one lend of such pipes being slightly elevated onaccount of the Wheels 13 and 15 at one end of the tank 1 being soelevated and the coating compound entering said pipes in their passingfrom the bath c into the bath b being heavier than the luX will holdsaid flux at its level, so that it is kept in the flux bath c and doesnot thereby mix with said coating. When t-he pipes a are thrown out ofthe tank l after being so coated in the bath b and onto the asbestoscoated table 20, each of the same can then be caught by any suitablemeans or mechanism and passed on to a suitable swabbinv device 21, whichis Icomposed of a resilient collar or piston 22 Vof asbestos or othersuitable materialsupported on a rod 23 and engaging with the interior ofsuch pipe, while a d1e 24 on a.

base 25 and having a movable cover 26 over the same and provided withsimilar material 27 is adapted to engage with the eX- terior of suchpipe to recover any further surplusage of the coating material upon suchsurfaces of. said pipe, and tofurther coat any places on said pipe whichmaynot have taken the molten coating while passing through said tank.

It will be obvious vthat the pipes are not allowed to become dry afterbeing immersed in the cold water to wet thesameand before they areplaced in the usual muriatic acid and zinc solution, known as theflux,in

order vto avoid' oxidation on such pifpes taking .place either in theair or in such ux before reaching the molten metal for coating the same.

It will be evident that the swabbing operation on `both the interior andexterlor surfaces of the pi es can be performed at one time las descried, or at separate times, and by a continuous operation, as desired,while other articles than plpes 1,5', chain 14 vent any Waste of anyattention i will l-,oiacasA other means, such as the sprocket and chaindevices can be used in conveying the articles. through the tank by arotary-movement instead 'of the rotatin wheels, as shown in Fig. 7, bysprocket-w eels 13 and and arms 16 on said chain. Various othermodiications and changes in theV process employed in'my improved coatingof metal articles may be resorted to,

without departing from the spirit of the in-A vention, or sacrificingany of'its advantages.

It will'thus be seen thatin my improved coating of metai'articles, suchas pipes, the pipes in striking the coating compound in the firstcompartment'atthe bottom of the tank will drive the :lux reviouslyplaced on such pipes ahead of t e coatingcompound, which Willpermit suchflux to remain above said-compound in its bath, and then such ipes arepassed under the partition or wall into the second compartment and areraised. out of the molten mixture or coating com'-- pound `for theswabbing operation, all by mechanical means, thereby enabling the ipidhandling and coating of such pipes.

1th one end ohe pipes being slightly elevated in passing through thetank, so as to incline such pipes, the material or ingredientscomposingthe flux bath and coating bath to Which such pipes are subjected willalwaysr remain, or go back into their respective baths in the tank andthereby pre-l such material, as Well 'as some of the material-ofthecoating bath removed by the swabbing process can be /saved into`suitablepots or many suitable devices, ,so that such pipe Will receive a uniformand thin coating at the least possible expense. The apparatus shownbeingautomatic in its operationwill notV require or handling 'ci the pipesand erform vits work in a clean and Workmanlike manner.

Whatl claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is V1.- The process of vcoating metal articles comprising the steps ofcleaning the article, then immersing the article in cold water, thencontinuously passin the article While wet through a bath of ux andthrough abath of metallic coatingmaterial, and thenl immediately.removingthe still soft' surplus coating materialfromv-the surfaces ofsaid article.

2. The process of coating metalA articles comprising the steps ofcleaning the article, then immersing the article in cold water, thencontinuously plassin the article? while wet `through a bat oi u bath ofmetallic coating material, and then immediately removing .the still softsurplus coating materialfrom the surfaces ofsaid 3. The' process" ofcoating metal articles then immersing theV article in cold Water, thencontinuously assing wet through abat of flux and through a bath ofmetallic coating material,',and then immediately removing the still softsurplus coating material article by a resilient swabbing operation.

4. The .process of coating metal articles comprising the ste s ofcleaning the. article, then immersing t e -article in cold Water, thencontinuously passin the 'article while wet through a bath ofux andthrough a comprising the steps of .cleaning the article,

the article while from the'surfaces of said bath of metallic coatingmaterial on an inf eline, and then immediately removing the x andthrough a still soft surplus coating material from the .surfaces of saidarticle.

5. The process'of coating metal articles comprising the steps of,cleaning the article,

then immersing the n article in cold Water, then continuously passingthe article While Wet through a bath of flux and through va bath ofmetallic coating material on an ineline, and then immediately removingthe still -soft surplus coating material from the surface of saidarticle by a swabbing operation.

6..The process of coating metal articles comprising the steps ofcleaning the article, then immersing the article in cold Water, thencontinuously passin the article While wet through a bathof ux andthrough a bath of metallic coating materialen an incline, and thenremoving the surplus coating material from thesurfaces of said articleby a resilient swabbing operation.

7. The process of coating metal articles comprising the steps ofcleaning the'art'icle, then immersing the article in cold Water, thencontinuously passing the article by a rotary movement While Wet throughabath of flux and vthrough a bath of metallic coating material, and'thenimmediately removing the still soft surplus coating material from thesurfaces of said article. v

comprising the steps of cleaning the article, then immersing the thencontinuously rotary movement otflux and through a bath of metalliccoating' material, and then immediately `removing the still soft l,surplusl coatin material from the surfaces of-said article ya swabbing oeration.

9. T e process of coating'metal articles comprising the stethenimmersing t article in cold water, passing the article by a whilewet through a bath .115

s of cleaning the article, e article' in cold water,

then continuously passing the article'by a rotary movement Whi e wetthrough a bath of flux and through 'a bath of metallic coating material,and then removing Y the surplus coating material from the sur aces o fsaid varticle by al resilient swabbing operation.

A:10.Thc prceess of coatinglmetal articles iso comprising the steps ofcleaning the article, then immersing the article in cold Water, thencontinuously passing the article by a rotary movement While wet througha bath of flux and through a bath of metallic coating material on 'anincline, and then immediately removing the still soft surplus coatingmaterial from the surfaces of said article.

11. The process of coating metal articles comprising the steps ofcleaning the article, then immersing the'article in cold Water, thencontinuously passing the article by a rotary movement While Wet througha bath of flux and through a bath of metallic coating material on anincline, and then immediately removing the still soft surplus coatingmaterial from the surfaces of said article by a swabbing operation.

12. The process of coating metal articles comprising the steps ofcleaning the article, then immersing the article in cold Wat/er, thencontinuously passing the article by a rotary movement While Wet througha bath of flux and through a bath of metallic coating material on anincline, and then immediately removing the still soft surplus coatingmaterial from the surfaces of said article by a resilient sWabbingoperation.

13. The process of coating metal pipes comprising the steps of cleaningthe article, then immersing the article in cold Water, then continuouslypassing the pipe While Wet through a bath of flux and through a bath ofmetallic coating material, and then immediately removing the still softsurplus coating material from the exterior and interior surfaces of saidpipe. y

14. The process of coating metal p-ipes comprising the steps of cleaningthe article, then immersing the article in cold water, then continuouslypassing the pipe while wet through a bath of flux and through a bath ofmetallic coating material, and then' immediately removing the still softsurplus coating material from the exterior and interior surfaces of saidpipe by a swabbing operat-ion.

15. The process of coating metal pipes comprising the steps of cleaningthe article, then -immersing the article in cold Water, thencontinuously passing the pipe while wet through a bath of flux andthrough a bath of metallic coating material, and then immediatelyremoving the still soft surplus coating material from the exterior andinterior surfaces of said pipe by a resilient swabbing operation.

16. 'The process of coating metal pipes comprising the steps of cleaningthe article, then immersing `the article incold Water,

- then continuously passing the pipe while wet through a bath of fluxand through a bat-h of metallic coating material on an ineline, and thenimmediately removing the still soft surplus coating material from theexterior and interior surfaces of said pipe.

17. Ilthe process of coating metal pipes comprising the steps ofcleaning the article, then immersing the article in cold Water, thencontinuously passing the pipe While Wet through a bath of flux andthrough a bat-h of metallic coating material on an inoline, and thenimmediately removing the still soft surplus coating material from theexterior and interior surfaces of said pipe by a swabbing operation.

18. The process of coating metal pipes comprising the steps of cleaningthe article, then immersing the article in cold Water, then continuouslypassing the pipe While Wet through a bath of iux and through a bath ofmetallic coating material on an incline, and then immediately removingthe stillsoft surplus coating material from the exterior and interiorsurfaces of said pipe by a resilient swabbing operation.

19. The process of coating metal pipes comprising the steps of cleaningthe article,

then immersing the article in cold Water, then continuously passing thepipe by a' rotary movement While Wet through a bath of flux and througha bath of metallic coating material, and then immediately removing thestill soft surplus coating material from the exterior and interiorsurfaces of said pipe.

20. The process of coating metal pipes comprising the steps of cleaningthe article, then immersing the article in cold Water,

then'continuously passing the pipe by a ro-y tary movement While wetthrough a bath of flux and through a bath of metallic coating material,and then immediately removing the still soft surplus coating materialfrom'the exterior and interior surfaces of said pipe by a swabbingoperation.4

4`2l. The process of coatingV metal pipes comprising the steps ofcleaning the` article, then immersing the article in cold water, thencontinuously passing the pipe by a rotary movement While wet through abath of flux and through a bath of metallic coating material, and thenimmediately removing the still soft surplus coating material from theexterior and interior surfaces of said' pipe by a resilient swabbingoperation.

22. The process, of coatin comprising the steps of cleaning the article,then immersing'thearticle in cold water, then continuously passing thepipe by a rotary movement While wet through a bath of flux and through abathof metallic coating material on an incline, and then immediatelyremoving the still soft surplus coating material from the exterior 'andinterior surfaces of said' pipe.

23. The process of coating metal pipes comprising the steps of cleaningthe article, then immersing the article in cold water,

met-al pipes Lomme then continuously passing the pipe by a rotarymovement While Wet through a bath of flux and through a bath of'metalliccoatingl material on an incline, and then immediately removing the stillsoft surplus coating material jom the exterior and interior sur- :facesof said pipe by a swabbing operation.

2. The processo eoatin metal pipes eompising'the steps of'oleanlng thearticle, then immersing the article in cold Water, then continuouslypassing the pipe by a rotary movement While Wet' through a bath of fiuxand through a bath of metallic coating material on an incline, and thenimmediately removing the still soft surplus coating material from theexterior and interior surfaces of said pipe by a resilient swabbingoperation..

ln testimony whereof, l, the said-ULYSSES S. ARMSTRONG, have hereuntoset my hand. 2o

ULYSSES S. ARMSTRNG. Witnesses:

T. B. HUMPHRIES, O. L. THOMPSON.

